Minecraft: The War for the Worlds Vol 3
by Rachel420
Summary: Written with 0-G-inspired on Deviantart. Alexa, a sixteen year old girl, gets a VR headset and immediately plays Minecraft. However a storm sends her into a strange new world where she will make new friends and new enemies and discover it's secrets, however dark they may be, behind this beloved game and it's worlds. (Read vols. 0-2 first chapters 25-30)
1. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-five: Hope**

Alex ran down the tunnel, climbed out the tunnel into the evening setting sun and pouring rain.

She ignored it as she ran, nearly tripping a couple of times, towards the lab.

She saw a tall satellite dish with a ladder and ran towards it.

She needed to be alone.

She knew she couldn't, no.

Wasn't allowed to leave until the others did.

She climbed up as high as it would let her and she sat down in the corner.

She heard lupis whining, unable to come up with her.

She ignored him and curled up and cried, her quiet cries mixing in with the pouring rain.

Jemma quickly headed after Dan.

As she caught up to him, she took his hand. "...Do you know what happened?" She asked quietly, concern for Alex lacing her voice.

Trayaurus decided to wait with the others for now.

Stampy and Sqaishey glanced at each uncertainly.

Dan stopped and turned to face her. "Yes...most of it." He replied, truthfully. "Melonie is or was Alex's friend, that she met at the orphanage...I don't why Notch didn't tell us sooner..."

Jemma frowned a little deeper at that. "That must be part of why she ran off..." she said softly. "We need to find her. I don't want her getting hurt or lost here."

Dan agreed. "She also can't leave the game until the others are gone." He explained.

Jemma nodded. "I'll go get the others back to the lab. Can you go find her?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, I can go look for her."

Jemma nodded. "Alright. I'll meet you back at the lab. Be safe." She told him before heading back.

Dan then climbed out of tunnel and quickly searched around the lab until it led him outside into the pouring rain. "Alex...Alex!" He called out, looking around.

He heard Lupis whining and barking nearby.

Alex didn't hear him over the rain.

Dan ran over to Lupis and shield his eyes from the falling rain as he looked up the ladder. "Alex?"

Alex slightly glanced up at his voice. She hesitated on replying.

Lupis turned to him and barked then looked up the ladder.

Dan took a deep breath and climbed up the ladder. "...Alex?" He quietly called out as he reached the top.

She didn't move.

Just a small whimper came from her.

She was soaked and shaking as she cried.

Her head was against her knees and arms wrapped around her legs.

Her hair draped around her and clung to her.

He then climbed up and sat nearby Alex.

She didn't move but slightly relaxed as she cried.

Dan looked at her and sighed. "...Alex...we should go back."

"...why?" she mumbled from her lap.

It was quite for a moment, expect for the sound of the falling rain.

"... you know we are worried about you... also, you must be freezing." He replied, glancing towards the lab and back at her.

She didn't reply for a while.

She just sat and listened to the rain.

She slowly looked up and met his gaze.

Her face was pale and her forest green eyes were red from crying. They held fear, distraught, grief, and loss in them.

She slowly crawled a little closer to him, seeming almost hesitant like she wasn't sure if he would do something.

Almost like a frightened animal.

She stopped less than an arms distance away and looked down at the ground.

Seeing this, Dan cautiously moved a little closer. "...you know I'm not going to force you come back down with me. Just know I'm not going to leave you alone." He told her as calmly as he could.

She slowly nodded. She sat next to him quietly. "...I... I can't believe he got to Mel..." she whispered quietly chocking a little on her words.

Dan looked at her with concerned. "I know." He replied, quietly. " I can't believe it too..."

She closed her eyes. "I... I wish I knew. Maybe I could have done something..."

"Maybe...maybe there is something you can still do." He said.

She looked at him. "You think so?" She asked softly, slight hope in her eyes.

Dan give her a small smile. " I'm sure of it."

She smiled a little. "I hope so. I owe her that much."

He nodded. " ...do you want to come back to the lab now?"

She nodded. "Okay." She agreed and carefully got up.

Dan offered Alex a hand to help her down the ladder, since the rain was still falling.

She took it and climbed down.

Lupis watched them.

He then climbed down and joined the two at the bottom. "Come on, let's go before the mobs start coming."

She nodded. "Right." She quickly headed off with Lupis following her.

Dan quickly followed them back into the lab.


	2. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-six: Escape**

As soon as Trayaurus saw the three enter, he shut the main door.

Jemma quickly came over. "Oh, thank goodness you're both alright!"

She gave Dan a hug and then hugged Alex, who kind of tensed but hugged her back.

Stampy and Sqaishey visibly relaxed as well.

Grim wagged his tail as he ran up to Dan happily.

"We were not far from lab. Just out by the satellite dish." Dan said, while petting Grim on the head.

She nodded. "I'm glad. We saw a couple of mobs on the way in." She explained.

Alex glanced at Dan. She found a place to sit and did so with Lupis.

"Where?" Dan asked, standing back up from greeting Grim.

"Near the temple. I don't think they followed us." She answered.

Alex glanced at the door uncertainly.

Trayaurus nodded. "Even if they did, they can't get in now."

Dan glanced at the door and then other team members. "Yeah. Looks like the meeting is over for now..."

Stampy and Sqaishey nodded. "It appears that way." He agreed.

Thinknoodles and the others seemly agreed as well.

Although, they did have questions.

That's when small growling sound could be heard inside the room.

Alex put her hand on the handle of the diamond sword and glanced at Lupis, who looked around curiously and on guard.

Jemma stayed close to Dan.

"Here's a quick reminder. we don't have any weapons." Thinknoodles informed them, seeing Dan take out a sword.

Alex glanced at Dan.

"I'll take them down to the treasure vault." Trayaurus told them.

Jemma glanced uncertainly at Dan. "Are you sure?" She asked.

Dan glanced at her, with a raise brow. "Well, it sounds like a zombie."

"Which isn't good." Trayaurus added. "Come on." he led them to his office.

Alex glanced at Dan, now holding her sword. "Can't get in unless they spawn inside... Right?" she asked him quietly.

Dan nodded as he looked around. "Yeah. They also spawn in dark places."

She nodded.

Lupis started to growl as a faint hissing noise was heard.

Alex glanced at the door and gasped when Lupis and Grim tackled her and Dan back behind the desk as a loud explosion went off outside, denting the door.

Dan grunted as he pushed himself back up from behind the desk and looked towards the door.

His eyes widened. "The door... They're trying to get in!"

Alex sat up. "What do we do?" She asked him. "We can't fight creepers. It's too dangerous."

"We join the others and get some bows." Dan replied, putting away his sword to help Alex up. "Come on, Grim."

Alex nodded and took his hand as she got up.

Grim and Lupis quickly followed them.

She gasped as the ground shook from another explosion.

Dan glanced back in slight panic and picked up the pace. "Trayaurus, we got creepers coming!" He called out as they headed inside the vault.

Trayaurus turned to them. "That's not good..." he replied.

Stampy, Sqaishey, and Jemma turned to them as well.

Each in armor with some weapons.

Jemma and Sqaishey with bows and Stampy with a sword.

Alex glanced behind them.

She did not want to find out what happened if you got seriously wounded or killed while inside.

Thinknoodles and Rachelle were both armed with swords and stood by the others.

"I was trying to avoid dying in here but we can't just leave." Dan said, while taking some armor.

Alex looked at him. "We don't know what happens if we get seriously wounded let alone killed!" gesturing toward the vault door.

"I'm not willing to test that out now." she told him. "There are Creepers, Zombies, Skeletons, and who knows what else trying to break in, which might I add, is not normal for those types of mobs! Not exploding the doors open anyway!"

Jemma glanced at Dan. "They were trying to blow the door open?" she asked.

Stampy glanced at Sqaishey then back to Dan and Alex. "That does sound strange..." he admitted.

"Yes." Dan sighed before nodding his head. "We don't know what will happen to us. Too any of us." He glanced at Trayaurus and the wolves.

Trayaurus nodded in agreement. "This is the best fortified place in the whole lab. Our best bet is to make fort here until morning. It'll be easier to deal with the mobs then." he suggested.

Alex glanced at the door, hearing another explosion.

She didn't want to abandon Trayaurus and the wolves but this was dangerous...

They could at least log out and let her leave then they could log back in and not be in any danger...

But that could take too long.

"Um. Are you sure?" Thinknoodles asked, glancing towards the door.

Dan walked over to Jemma with his sword back out.

Trayaurus shrugged. "The sun would take care of the zombies and skeletons but the creepers would still be here."

"Maybe we could try something else. Like, logging out?" Rachelle suggested.

Trayaurus nodded slightly. "You could..." He replied.

Alex nodded as well. "I can't leave until all you do so I'd be the last to leave."

"If we don't hurry, we're not going to have a much choice." Dan told them, glancing at the door.

Stampy and Sqaishey nodded. "Um. One question. How?" Stampy asked.

"Beds." Dan replied, plopping a red bed on the floor. "Once you close your eyes, you wake back up in your home." He explained.

Stampy nodded. "Alright. Who's going first?"

Sqaishey and Jemma exchanged glances.

Thinknoodles and Rachelle hesitated and looked at the others.

Seeing that no one was making the first move, Dan spoke up. "Woman and children first?"

Alex turned to him unamused. "I can't go anywhere until you all go."

Jemma glanced and Rachelle and Sqaishey. "I guess we can go."

Rachelle agreed and went first.

Once she laid down, she seemed to disappear automatically after closing her eyes.

Jemma went next then Sqaishey.

Stampy watched in amazement but was snapped out of it but the ground shaking. "We best hurry."

They remaining players nodded and Thinknoodles quickly went next.

"Alex. Be ready." Dan told her.

She nodded.

She glanced at the door, worried about the mobs.

Stampy quickly hopped into the bed.

Alex went to stand by the bed when the ground shook as a loud thud was heard.

She turned to the door hearing mobs above starting to flow in.

Dan gasped. "We will be back Trayaurus." He said, before leaving the game.

Trayaurus muttered, "you better be..."

Alex quickly hopped into the bed and closed her eyes.

.

..

...

...

She felt something lick her hand.

She opened her eyes and glanced over, expecting a pug.

Instead Lupis stared back at her.

Her eyes widened. "What?"

She heard the mobs getting closer. "Oh no... No, no, no, no, no!" She quickly tried again but nothing was happening. "Why isn't it working?!"

Trayaurus shrugged. "Maybe you have to log out differently?"

"Maybe." She pulled open her menu.

The log out button wasn't letting her click it.

"It's not letting me out!" She told Trayaurus.

She heard them banging on the doors.

She felt something in the back of her mind holding her here.

She closed her eyes and laid down.

 _Please work!_ She thought to herself.

She focused hard on logging out and waking up.

Everything started to fade but not before a piercing pain shot through her leg and another in her shoulder, not hearing the warnings Trayaurus tried to give her.


	3. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-seven: Poisoned**

Jemma had greeted Dan with relief when he woke up but was concerned that Alex had yet too.

Suddenly she jerked up and awake gasping as she quickly pulled her helmet off and tossed it aside.

She grasped at her leg just below her knee, clutching it tight with one hand while the other clung to her shoulder as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Oh! Thank goodness!" Jemma cried relieved but quickly noticed something was off. "Alex?"

Dan looked over at her and at the helmet on the floor. He quickly grabbed his phone, typing a message to informed the others.

They were relieved to hear everyone made it.

[What now?] Stampy asked.

Jemma was trying to get Alex to tell her what was wrong but Alex was in too much pain to do so.

Tears were running down her face and she gasped for breath and clutched her shoulder and leg.

Jemma realized she was hurt or at least was in pain. "Dan, I think Alex is hurt." She told him, concerned.

Alex hissed in pain when Jemma tried to move her hand to see what was wrong which made her quickly stop.

Dan glanced away from the phone and moved over beside Alex. He could clearly see she was in pain but couldn't see the reason for it. "Alex, what's wrong?"

"I- I think they got in..." She told him. "I was almost out when I felt pain in my shoulder and leg..." She explained through clenched teeth as she held her leg and arm.

Jemma glanced at Dan.

He had a look of dread wash over his face as he glanced at her. "Jemma, try to find something to stop the pain. I'll try and see if the others can join in the server."

She nodded and quickly left to go find some painkillers and icepacks. She grabbed some gauze just in case as well.

Dan was logging back into Minecraft.

While waiting, he sent another message to the team, asking if they could join him and help fight the mobs attacking the lab.

Stampy and Sqaishey agreed and started to log back into it.

Jemma was tending to Alex's injures.

When Alex moved her hand from her shoulder, Jemma could see it was red and warm to the touch but not bleeding.

She applied an icepack with gauze to it and tied it there.

She looked at her leg which was red as well, but more swollen and looked like there was a bite mark there.

Jemma furrowed her brow as she examined it.

How on earth did she get bit?

She put her hand near it and Alex hissed in pain.

She apologized but applied the icepack and gauze and had her lay back.

The pugs snuggled up against Alex.

She glanced over to watch Dan from the couch.

Dan looked over his shoulder, slightly relieved that Alex was taken care of.

He then heard his little avatar landing on the floor with a thud and turn his attention to the screen.

Trayaurus was standing behind a little wall base he made in between the bed and the mobs.

He turned to him. [Is Alex okay?! Just before she left a skeleton's arrow hit her shoulder and a spider got through to her and bit her leg.] he told him.

The dogs were fighting the mobs.

[That's why she was in so much pain. But Yes. She seems to be doing better now.] Dan replied before swapping a sword for a bow. [The others should be here soon.]

As he sent that, the game alerted him of Stampy and Sqaishey joining. [Hello.] Stampy greeted.

Before Dan could reply, another alert popped up as Thinknoodles and Rachelle arrived.

[Hey guys!] Dan greeted them and quickly shot an arrow at skeleton.

[This is much less terrifying when you're not in the game.] Stampy commented as he fought through some zombies.

[It really is.] Thinknoodles agreed while cutting down some spiders.

Dan didn't comment, just kept firing arrows at creepers that tried to come into the room.

Trayaurus watched.

Jemma made sure Alex was alright before joining in.

She started helping and noticed a blue glow out of the corner of her eye.

She turned to it and eyes widened. [Charged creeper!] she warned them.

Sqaishey quickly started firing at it with Jemma, keeping their distance.

Dan tried to cover them from being hit by skeleton archers.

He noticed ever since the attack, the mobs had seemed to plan their moves but like the others pointed out...

This wasn't normal.

[Trayaurus, you might have to take cover.] Dan told him.

[Already on it.] He replied while going further back and building a thicker wall.

Dan moved forward while Thinknoodles and Rachelle did their best to pushed back the advancing mobs.

Jemma, Sqaishey, and Stampy helped the best they could as well.

The mobs started to become less and less.

The charged creeper was taken down and they soon cleared them all out.

Dan sighed. [Finally! Good job. Team?] He typed in the chat box, before looking at the giant hole, that was blasted in the doorway.

Trayaurus poked his head out. [Is it safe?] he asked.

Jemma glanced up at Dan from her screen.

Stampy and Sqaishey looked around at the damage. [It's kind of a mess now, but I think it's safe.] Stampy answered.

[What should we do now?] Thinknoodles asked, while picking up a block that use to be a part of the wall.

Dan sensed Jemma looking at him and glanced at her. [I'm not sure. But the mobs will definitely try and come back...we need a plan.] He typed back.

Alex watched from the couch.

Seeing his comment, she frowned. "Herobrine is sending them..." she muttered.

Jemma looked at her, concern in her eyes.

[What do you suggest?] Stampy asked. [I mean, it is you and Trayaurus' lab...]

Dan heard Alex's comment and started typing in the chat box.

[Maybe fix up the vault door. This **is** the most fortified part of the lab. We should keep it that way.] He replied. [Besides. Alex says Herobrine is the one sending the mobs. The only way to stop it, might be to find these Elements that Notch mentioned.]

They all agreed and started repairing the door and fortifying it a bit more.

Stampy worked on some redstone traps that would keep them at bay hopefully.

As they worked on the final touches, Dan walk over to Trayaurus. [Are you ok, Trayaurus?]

He nodded. [Yes. I'm mostly worried about Alex. She is the one that got hurt...]

[Wait, what? Alex is hurt?] Stampy asked concerned.

Sqaishey looked at him.

Dan turned to face the others. [Yes. A skeleton and a spider got to her before she left. But thankfully she seems to be doing better.]

[Did it hurt her out there?] Sqaishey asked.

Dan glanced at Jemma. He didn't see any blood on Alex but knew she was in pain. [It did. But I didn't see blood. Jemma, did you seen any?]

[No. But there was a bite mark or at least what appeared to be on where the spider got her.] She answered.

She glanced at Alex, who had laid down her head on the arm of the couch and was fighting to not drift into sleep.

Jemma did notice she looked a little pale though.

She brushed some hair from her eyes and felt her forehead.

It was a little warm.

Alex groaned and tried to move away from her hand, almost rolling off the couch and onto the floor.

Jemma quickly held her back.

Alex groaned and tried to move away.

"Something is wrong. She's getting a fever."

[Have to go. Somethings wrong with Alex.] Dan wrote in the chat box before turning his attention to Jemma and Alex.

Alex was trying and failing to push Jemma's hand away. "I'm fine..." She muttered, her words slightly slurring.

Jemma frowned. "No, you're not Alex... You're getting a fever." She replied, trying to get her to stop squirming away so she could properly check her temperature.

"No, I'm not..." She slurred, half-awake trying to push Jemma away.

"Alex..."

"I'm fine..." She repeated and tried to get up but Jemma gently held her down.

"You need to rest Alex..." She told her firmly but gently.

Dan moved in and using the back of his hand to feel Alex's forehead while she was being held down.

Alex whined at him when she felt his cool hand touch her warm head. "No..."

Jemma glanced at him then at Alex. "You need to rest..."

Dan pulled his hand back. "Jemma's right. You need to get some rest." He concluded.

"But I don't-" she started to cough into her arm. "Don't...Want too..." she replied, weakly.

Jemma frowned in concern. "I think that spider did something..."

Dan glanced at her. "I hope not...but if that's the problem, I have to ask Trayaurus what kind of spider it was."

She nodded.

Alex was starting to drift off but kept fighting to stay awake but was starting to lose that battle.

Jemma frowned at that. "You go ask him and see if he knows. I'm going to log out and keep an eye on Alex."

She glanced at the screen. "Besides, the others are asking what's wrong."

"Right." Dan replied.

He went back to the computer and started writing.

[Alex has a fever. Trayaurus, do you remember what kind of spider bit her?]

[I didn't really get a good look but it might have been a cave spider.] He replied.

[Will she be alright?] Stampy asked.

[We don't know. She looks pale and we believe that spider bite has something to do with it...] Dan replied.

Thinknoodles immediately suggested that they to go see a doctor.

Although, it would be a little hard to explain what had happened to the girl.

Dan worriedly cast a glance at Alex and Jemma.

Alex had submitted to unconsciousness.

Jemma looked up at him, concerned. "At least she's resting..." She told him, trying to reassure herself.

Dan hesitated in making any comments.

Seeing Alex's current situation, he knew it was proof that she was poisoned.

"I asked Trayaurus about the spider and he said it could have been a cave spider...I think it was one."

Jemma looked down at Alex. "So, she's poisoned?" she asked, her voice struggling to keep the worry and fear out of it.

Alex slightly stirred at her name.

"It sure looks like it." He quietly replied. "I got a lot suggestions from the others about seeing a doctor..."

"But what would we tell them? A spider half the size of her bit her leg?" She asked with a sigh.

Alex shifted with a small whimper.

Jemma glanced at her.

Dan looked down at the two and slowly took notice of the helmet. "...what if we take her back into Minecraft?"

Jemma looked at him. "...we can try... she might not want to..."

Alex rolled over and was held back on the couch by Jemma.

"Hmm. I'll let the others know what we are going to do." He said, turning towards the computer.

She nodded. She gently shook Alex. "Alex. You need to wake up. We are going to go to minecraft."

Alex blinked awake. "What...?"

"We are headed back to minecraft."

"No... no... don't-" she started coughing again. "Don't want too..."

Dan finished messaging the others, letting them know that they were going to try and bring Alex into Minecraft, and it would be better if they stayed logged in to avoid being pulled back into the game.

Jemma was trying to convince her to come but Alex was fighting against her.

"No... he can get me there..." she complained.

Dan picked up the helmet from off the floor and walked towards the two.

When Alex saw the helmet, she started trying to squirm away. "No!" She cried.

She flailed about fighting Jemma and fell off the couch.

She tried to crawl away. "No!" She fussed at them as Jemma grabbed her ankle.

Dan blinked at the scene before him but quickly sat the helmet aside to assist Jemma.

Alex fought against them. "Let go!" She cried. She was quickly getting worn out as she struggled until she passed out from exhaustion.

Jemma sighed and let her go. "Well that went well."

Dan sighed in slight frustration. "Yeah. We might have to try something different."

She nodded. "I just don't know if we have a time limit or not..." she muttered softly.

Alex laid asleep on the floor.

Jemma sighed and carefully picked her up and put her back on the couch.

She logged out of Minecraft and covered Alex with a light blanket.

Alex cuddled up in the blanket and slept.

Jemma watched her. "Should we let her rest?" She asked quietly.

"Maybe we should." He whispered and give a tired glance at the computer. "The others probably have to go."

"Let them know what's going on and tell them we will keep them posted. I'm going to make lunch. Keep an eye on her please." Jemma told him and headed out the door.


	4. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Delusions**

Dan went to the computer and informed the others in what was going on and what happened to Alex.

Which wasn't much, since she kept losing consciousness.

[I hope she gets better soon...] Stampy said.

[yeah. Keep us updated on her, alright?] Sqaishey asked.

Alex shifted slightly and started to slightly toss and turn until she fell off the couch again, her legs tangled in the blanket.

She snapped awake with a startled and slightly pained gasp. She started glancing around, fearfully.

[We will keep you guys-] Dan stopped typing and looked towards the floor. "Alex." He said in surprise.

Alex didn't really respond to his voice or him at all. She just kept glancing around fearfully.

She tried to move around but the blanket hindered her movement. She felt the cord from her helmet tangle around her wrist as well.

She gave a small whimper of fear as she pressed her back up against the couch.

[We will keep you guys posted. Got to go, Alex's up.] Dan told the team before getting up to go untangle Alex.

Alex noticed him when he moved towards her and tried to get away. "Stay away!" She demanded, her voice fearful and weak.

She couldn't go far with the blanket however.

Dan stepped back. "Hey. It's ok. we are not going to put the helmet on." He told her, showing his empty hands.

She watched him cautiously, trying to keep some distance between them which was hard with the blanket and having her back against the couch.

She didn't reply to him either.

Dan raised an eyebrow at Alex's behavior. He then slowly reached out and took ahold of the cord that was wrapped her wrist to remove it.

Alex tensed and tried to pull away but winced when she moved her arm, trying to pull it away.

She watched him, tense and frightened but also slightly confused.

Her eyes looked like they were glossed over and had a slightly distant look to them hidden behind the fear, suspicion and confusion.

Dan took the cord away from Alex and moved back to give her some space.

Seeing the way the blanket was restraining her, he decided it was safe to call Jemma and let her know what's going on.

Alex furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as he took the cord.

Which her mind told her was a chain.

There was still the chains around her legs but he removed the one on her wrist...

Her mind told her that it wasn't Dan in front of her but an empty-handed skeleton.

And the room around her was a stone cell which she was chained to.

She was confused why he was helping her.

Wouldn't Herobrine be furious?

Her assumed skeleton walked over to the door and opened it.

"Jemma, Alex is awake!" Dan shouted from the office door.

Jemma finished cooking and went upstairs.

Alex watched him confused and tensed when she saw Jemma. She scooted further against the couch.

Jemma noticed this. "Is she alright?" she asked.

"I don't think so." Dan whispered. "She started acting like this ever since she woke up."

"She looks so scared of us..." she replied concerned.

Alex watched them.

She couldn't hear them or understand what they were saying.

"And why is she tangled in the blanket?" she asked.

She started to carefully move towards her to help but Alex squeaked and turned slightly, scooting away from them both.

Jemma stopped and stepped back. "Something is definitely wrong..."

Dan nodded. "Yeah...her eyes are rather glossy looking."

"We can't just leave her on the floor tangled up..."

Alex watched them fearfully, now with her back to the sink counter.

He looked at Jemma. "Well, we both can't try to untangle her. That would probably scare her more."

She nodded in agreement. "She seemed to be a little calmer before I came in from the glimpse I saw."

"Yes, she did." Dan agreed. "Maybe if you go outside, I might be able to untangle her."

She nodded. "Alright. Call for me if you need help." she told him.

She stepped outside the room.

Alex watched her leave, now more confused.

Dan carefully approached Alex. "Alright. I'm only going to get you free from that blanket. No need to panic." He told her, calmly.

She watched him cautiously.

She didn't move.

She just watched him.

She hesitated to let him near but let him approach.

He looked down at the tangled mess she was in and sighed. "Ok...now don't move." He said, kneeling to grab the end of the blanket.

She watched him grabbed the chain and glanced up at him then back at the chain confused.

Dan, or what Alex's mind perceived, was starting to loosen the "chains" that were holding her.

"...you are really tangled up in this." He said, trying to free her.

She watched him loosen them. She was quiet the whole time until she finally spoke up.

"...why are you helping me?" Her voice was weak and no louder than a whisper.

She didn't meet his eyes but just stared at the blanket chains.

Dan looked at her, confused. "Umm, what do you mean?" He asked, pulling the blanket chains away.

She didn't answer him.

Well...

Not directly.

"Won't he be mad that you're helping me?" She asked, watching him pull the blanket chains away. "I doubt that he asked you to come free me... So why help me when he could find out that you did?"

Dan stared at her for a moment. "What? Alex, what are you talking about?" He asked, now sounding confused as her.

Seeing the confusion, Alex tilted her head. "Aren't you worried Herobrine could find you helping me?" she asked confused why what her mind told her was a skeleton didn't seem concerned.

"Um...no?" Dan replied, sounding uncertain in his answer. "But, I am worried about you." He added, before noticing it still didn't seem clear to her. "...Seriously. Alex...can you hear me?" He questioned, waving his hand.

She watched him wave his hand in front of her. "What were you doing?" She asked confused.

He stopped, and suddenly facepalm. "I'm going to take that as a yes."

Alex watched him confused.

Jemma poked her head in. "How is it going?" she asked.

Dan looked back at her. "Not so great. She's free but I think that spider bite did something else to her beside give her a fever."

"Like what?" she asked.

Alex followed his gaze and tensed when she saw to her another skeleton.

"I'm not sure. She just doesn't seem to be...all there." He replied, glancing back at Alex. "She doesn't seem to hear me. But she did talk me...asking why I'm helping her when Herobrine will find out."

"But we aren't in minecraft..." Jemma replied confused.

Alex watched the two, uncertainly. She tried to stand up but cried in pain and fell back down, holding her leg. Her mind told her she heard footsteps approaching from outside and her eyes widened. "I think he's coming..."

Jemma glanced at Dan.

He stood up and looked down at Alex. "Who, Herobrine?"

She still didn't seem to hear him and tried to get up again but fell once more, gasping in pain. "He's going to be mad if he finds you here with me being free..." she muttered as she continued to try to get up, despite it hurting her.

Dan glanced at Jemma and reached out to stopped Alex from hurting herself any further.

Alex looked up at him. Her eyes were scared and worried. "Wh-What are you doing? He'll find me..." her voice shook from strain and fear.

Jemma wasn't sure what to do.

Dan then help Alex up, but tried to keep her off the injured leg. "Should we try the helmet again?" He asked Jemma. Unsure if it would work.

She shrugged. "If you feel it would help..."

Alex leaned on him, listening to the nearing footsteps.

He looked back at Alex and sighed. "It feels kind of risky. But it might help."

Jemma nodded. She went over to pick it up.

Alex watched them confused.

Dan started to lead her over to the couch.

She followed him, leaning on him for support.

Jemma brought the helmet over. She got the helmet set up and ready.

"There we go." Dan said while letting her set back onto the couch.

Which to Alex's mind was a stone like cot. She looked even more confused. "But we can't stay here, he's coming down the hall." She told them.

Jemma glanced at Dan and offered the helmet to him.

Dan took the helmet, looking slightly hesitant in putting it on Alex.

But after a second or more, he began to move towards her with the device raised up in the air.

Alex watched him, trying to figure out what it was that he was holding and attempting to put on her. She scooted away slightly, uncertain. She could hear Herobrine getting closer.

Dan tried to put the helmet on her, again. This time, trying to put it on her like a hat.

She still tried to keep away, uncertain of what he was trying to do. She stopped however, hearing Herobrine outside the door which to her was currently shut. "Oh no..." she muttered.

Jemma looked at Dan.

He gave Alex a questionable look before placing the helmet on her head.

Alex felt the familiar weight being placed upon her head and something in her mind clicked.

 _If I didn't have the helmet on, then how am I here?_

She heard Herobrine unlocking the door. She couldn't see through the visor of the helmet which also triggered something in her mind.

The stone cot doesn't feel like stone. Nor did the room feel abnormally warm for being in what she had assumed was the Nether.

She gingerly felt the couch that she was sitting on.

Her senses told her the cold stone floor, that she had been chained to and her bare feet were touching, was fluffy.

None of this matched up...

She heard Herobrine getting frustrated with the door and felt the air to her mind grow tense from a force gathering outside the door before she heard the door in her mind blast open.

She tensed.

She was in between delusion and reality.

Jemma watched her uncertain.

A part of her wanted to quickly remove the helmet so she could face Herobrine while the other told her not to.

She couldn't make out what he was saying anymore but could feel the surge of power radiating off him from anger.

She put her hands on the helmet, hesitating whether to pull it off.

Dan watched, not wanting to force Alex to keep the helmet on, since she looked aware of its presence.

She slightly lifted it up and the more she did the clearer she could hear herobrine who she was surprised to find standing before her in front of the two skeletons.

He took a hold of the helmet which Alex gripped as tight as she could but he pulled it from her fingertips and threw into the spare room which had become Alex's.

To Dan and Jemma, it looked like Alex threw it in there, catching Jemma by surprise.

Alex turned to see where it went but couldn't find it.

Her mind told her the cot was stone again and the floor as well. She saw Herobrine's anger radiating in his white eyes.

He glanced at the "skeletons" which he knew weren't actually skeletons but in fact, two of the chosen elemental wielders.

He growled, knowing he couldn't touch them.

Not like this.

And that angered him.

Two standing right in front of him yet out of his grasp.

He turned back to Alex who quickly tried to distance herself from him.

Dan looked at Jemma, slightly startled by the helmet that was thrown across the room.

Jemma glanced back at him just as startled.

Alex gave a cry of pain when Herobrine grabbed her braid when she turned trying to crawl away. She was pulled back towards him. She struggled against him but cried in pain as he tugged harder. "Get the helmet!" She cried.

Jemma's eyes widened as she saw Alex seemingly fight with herself. "Uh, I don't think she's just hallucinating. I think he's really there... or something is. Cause hair doesn't defy gravity like that... right?"

"Uh, no. Definitely not..." His voice seemed to trail off as he hurried over to the helmet.

Dan quickly picked up and brought it over to the couch.

Alex struggled with Herobrine.

He saw Dan bringing the helmet back and grabbed Alex's throats and pulled her close with her back to his chest.

Alex gasped in pain and clutched at her throat.

"Alex!" Dan exclaimed, while approaching her with the helmet ready.

Jemma wasn't sure what to do.

Alex struggled trying to get Herobrine to let her go.

She saw the helmet and reached out for it.

Herobrine tried to pull her away from it but she broke free and stumbled forward, wincing as she landed on her leg and took the helmet into her hands and put it on.

She heard him scream at her but it faded once it was on. She panted heavily once it was on and she felt the soft carpet on her feet.

She stood there just from the adrenaline for a moment, catching her breath before she gasped and collapsed. Jemma quickly caught her.

Alex tensed at the touch at first but slowly relaxed into it as Jemma sat her down on the couch.

Alex focused on the texture of everything she touched and slowly her mind processed the stone room as the office.

At first it was temperature and textures, then slowly sounds started filtering through.

Though her ears were ringing and the sounds were muffled she could faintly hear the calming noises of the office.

The computer humming, the pugs panting and whining, and she could barely make out Dan and Jemma talking.

"Do you think it's over?" Jemma asked him.

Dan glanced at her and shrugged. "I don't know. But I hope it is..."

It took Alex a moment but she recognized their voices. "D-Dan? J-Jemma?" She asked/called. Her voice was weak and shaky.

Jemma gave a sigh of relief. "We're here Alex." She told her, sitting beside her on one side and placing a hand on her shoulder.

Dan sat down on Alex's other side, keeping her in the middle of the couch between them.

"Are you alright?" He asked her.

Although it was obvious that she wasn't.

Alex slowly shook her head. "Better now, but... no." she replied weakly. "Herobrine was really angry... I was so scared... I don't know what happened..."

"You were sort of...hallucinating...but then we weren't sure what was going on." Dan explained, looking past the helmet Alex was wearing to make eye contact with Jemma.

Alex processed this. "...to me I was in a stone cell like room in what I assumed was the Nether. I was chained to the ground when I noticed a skeleton, which I assume was one of you, approach me and try to help unchain me. Both of you were skeletons for some reason and I couldn't hear you or really anything around me..." she explained.

Jemma glanced at Dan.

Dan frown as he thought about what she saw. "We were skeletons...that is weird."

"I... I don't think it was just a hallucination..." Alex said softly.

Jemma frowned slightly. "Do you think you want to try to take the helmet off?"

She shook her head. "Not yet."

"I think your right about not hallucinating the whole thing." Dan said, looking at her. "We did see your hair being pulled..."

"That was Herobrine." Alex explained, pulling her braid over her shoulder slightly protectively. "I'm not really sure what happened there but it wasn't a fun experience..."

Dan glanced at the braid, now looking disturbed by the whole fact that Herobrine was here...

Kind of.

"Yeah, that's for sure. I just hope that doesn't happen again."

She nodded and hesitated but slowly removed the helmet.

To her great relief, she saw the office.

She sat it down in her lap. "I don't know how he did it but I hope that will be the last time at least for a while..."

Jemma agreed. "I do too. I hated not really being able to help you..."

Dan nodded his head, agreeing with Jemma. "You're not in pain any more, are you Alex?"

"My leg and arm still hurt. But not quite as bad." she replied.

"Hmm. Well, maybe now you can get some rest." Dan suggested.

Alex slightly shrugged. "I don't know if I want too..." She replied.

Jemma looked at her. "You need to Alex..."

Alex just stared down at her helmet. "... I know..."

"...if you want, you can rest somewhere else beside the office." Dan said, while checking the time.

With everything that happened, he was surprised to see it was still lunch time.

"Or you can come eat some lunch downstairs." Jemma offered.

Alex nodded. "I think I'll come eat and see where I'm at afterward." She replied.

Dan nodded. "Alright." He then stood up and looked at Alex. "Want me to help you down the stairs?"

She nodded. She set the helmet to the side and carefully stood up, leaning mostly on her good leg.

Dan stepped up beside Alex, providing some support off her injured leg, and slowly headed out of the office.

Alex leaned on him for support and followed him downstairs.

Jemma followed behind them.

They soon walked into the dining room.

Dan lead her over to a chair.

She thanked him as she sat down.

Jemma joined them in the kitchen and dished Alex some lunch.

She placed it in front of her then dished out Dan and her own.

She handed Dan his plate and sat down with hers.

Dan thanked Jemma for the food and started to eat.

Meanwhile inside the digital world of Minecraft. Under the overworld, in the depths of the Nether.

An angry roar erupted throughout the Nether fortress, making a wither skeleton guard take cover as Herobrine emerged from the dungeon stairs.

His eyes glowed white with unquenchable rage in how close he was to the real world that he longed to conquer.

But.

Notch had assembled the elemental wielders that lived in the world he could not yet touch...

This angered him.

He was close!

Although, he did manage to gain the upper hand...

An evil smirk formed on his face as he looked down at the hand that once held Alex's hair. Notch's precious chosen one.

"So close..."

But.

The smirk soon faded as his hand started to tremble with anger and hatred.

"AUGH! Notch!"

He yelled, spitting his brother's name out like venom.

"Your pathetic. You cannot hold me back any longer. Not without the other girl which I have. Your chosen wielders will suffer, slowly, for your choice of being a coward!"

Herobrine sighed as he finally steadied himself from his fit of rage.

"And your choice of a leader."

A sickening smile spread across his face. His voice dropping lower than the place the Nether creatures call home.

"What a mistake you had made. Such a weak link...can be easily… broken..."

He then stared up at the skyless land.

"Watch your back, Alex. The nightmare has just begun. One which you will never wake from. Mark my words. It. Has. Begun..."

His last three words sent out a shockwave, which echoed out into the overworld and seemly beyond the Minecraft world.

As Alex ate and relaxed, she felt a chill go down her spine making her whole-body tense.

Jemma looked at her. "You alright Alex?"

Alex seemed to snap out a small trance and turned to them. "Y-yeah. I'm fine..." She replied.

Dan glanced at Jemma, not looking entirely convinced.

Although, he decided not to continue pestering Alex with more questions.

Especially after what she had just gone through.

"Hmm...are the pugs fed?" He asked.

Jemma nodded. "Yeah. I think their napping in the living room." She replied.

Alex was trying to figure out what had happened but shrugged it off and finished eating.

"Well, thanks Jemma for the meal." Dan said, getting up to put away his empty plate. "Oh man, I almost forgot I had to make some videos." He gave a nervous chuckle. "After what we saw today, I'm not sure if I really want to play a horror game..."

Alex smiled a little at that. "After today I am still never playing a horror game."

Jemma smiled and nodded. "You're welcome. And I would stay away from horror games for a while." she added as she put her plate away.

"Good advice. Maybe I can play another game that the fans really wanted to see." Dan said, walking around the table. "Are you going to be ok, Alex?"

Alex looked at him.

She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I'll stay down here with Jemma and the pugs." She told him.

Dan nodded. "Alright. I'll see you guys later." He then headed up the stairs.

Alex watched him leave and with Jemma's help went to the living room.


	5. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Rescue mission**

Once back inside the office, Dan went to check on Trayaurus, since he was still logged into Minecraft and all.

He looked around the lab.

[Hey buddy, I'm back.]

There was no reply.

No barking of the dogs either.

Dan made his avatar looked around, noticing something wasn't right.

[Trayaurus? Hello?]

He then spotted a journal on the desk and picked it up.

The book opened.

[Hello Dan. It's me, Denton. I told you that I would be back. If you're looking for Trayaurus and those wolves, you won't be finding either of them. Rest assured, I'll take good care of them for Herobrine. Of course, me being a man of science, you can understand I cannot resist some tests…]

Dan stared at the screen in shock as he finished reading the message. "What on- no way, this can't be right?!" he exclaimed.

Alex was resting on the couch snuggling the pugs, sleepily watching the tv when she heard Dan shout something.

Jemma glanced at her. "He's probably recording." She reassured her.

Alex stared at the stairs for a moment before nodding.

Dan glanced around the room and wrote a quick update before heading down to the living room.

Alex heard him coming down and looked over. "I thought you were going to do some recording?" she asked.

Jemma looked over too. She could see the distress in his eyes.

"I was. But I went to check on Trayaurus and found a message from Denton." He explained, now standing in the room.

Alex tilted her head. "Denton?" she asked.

"He's the bad guy in my older videos." He replied, slight frown. "He's back and looks like he's working with Herobrine."

Alex frowned. "That's not good. Was Trayaurus there?"

Dan shook his head. "No… Denton kidnapped him and our dogs.

Her eyes widened and quickly stood up but cried in pain and fell back down. "Wh-what? He kidnapped them?! We have to get them back!" she replied, standing back up, leaning on the couch for support.

"Whoa, Alex!" Dan exclaimed, startled by her reaction. "We will look for them." He replied, hurrying over to her.

"Then I need to get logged in. I want to help." She told him, determination in her eyes.

Dan looked uncertain about this. "I don't know. You're still hurt."

She huffed. "I don't care. Lupis, Grim, and Trayaurus are in trouble and need help. Lupis is my wolf and Trayaurus is part of the team. He's helped me a lot lately. It's my turn to help him." She told him firmly.

Dan glanced at Jemma and back at Alex. "…. Alright." He offered her hand to help her up.

She took it. Jemma stood up. "I'll come up too in case something happens."

Dan nodded. "Ok. Let's go get our friends back." He said before heading back up the stairs with Alex.

Alex nodded as she walked up the stairs with him.

Jemma trailed after them.

Dan helped Alex sit back on the couch and handed her the helmet.

Alex set it up and placed it on. She laid back.

Dan logged out of Minecraft and signed back in. Knowing it probably would be better if they were all in the game but it still didn't make it any safer.

Alex logged in and woke up on the bed in the treasure vault.

She looked around before using her sword as a support until she could find something better.

She headed into the main part of the lab.

Dan appeared on the bed and quickly got up to go look for any clues that Denton might have left behind.

Alex approached him. "Have you found anything?" she asked, concerned.

"I think I have." Dan replied, holding up a piece of broken glass.

There was shattered glass laying on the floor in front of him and a slightly unnoticeable hole in the glass ceiling above them.

Alex glanced up seeing the hole. "That must be how they got in."

Dan nodded, hoping the mobs can't figure out how to get in the same way Denton had.

"Yeah. Besides the broken glass, I can't seem to find anything else."

"That's not really that helpful on finding out where they went…." She looked around, hoping to find something.

Dan took out the book from Denton, it didn't have any hints in where to look but there had to be something that could help them.

Maybe not in this book.

"Hey, where's Jemma?"

"I think she's supervising from outside, just in case."

Dan glanced around and back at the book. "Wait, that's it!" he partially explained. "I know what could help us. Come on."

Alex nodded and followed him as well as she could.

They went deeper inside the vault and reached a room that had a dog house and robotic dog sitting beside it. "Alex, meet Robodog."

She looked at it. "And it can help us?" she asked.

"I sure hope so. We used it a long time ago to help us find Grim by giving it something with his scent." Dan explained.

The robot seemed to reactivate and looked up at the two.

She turned to him. "That's should work great! But I need a better crutch or support on my leg if we are going there."

"We should have something you can use by the front." Dan replied, glancing at the robotic dog. "Come on Robodog."

Robodog stood up and followed him.

Alex nodded and headed back towards the front.

They soon reached the room with several types of tools that were all lined up on the walls. "There should be a staff or something you can use, beside a sword." Dan said, looking around.

She nodded and took a staff off the wall, putting her sword away. "Alright. This should work."

"Great. Now we can begin our search." Dan hold out the book in front of the robot dog. "Here you go boy. This is all we got."

It sniffed at the book then sniffed around the room, heading towards the exit.

"Oh. I forgot how fast he is. Wait for us!" Dan called out, following the robot.

Alex followed them.

It slowed a little and kept leading them through the jungle.

Dan walked with Alex, taking out his sword and clearing some of the greenery out of their path.

Alex looked around as they walked.

After what felt like hours, they saw a building in the distance.

Dan sighed in relief at the sight before them. "Ah, Finally. Now this looks promising."

Alex nodded as the robot stopped in front of it.

She glanced at Dan and approached him.

"We have to be careful. Denton probably has this whole place booby-trap." He told her, quietly.

She nodded in agreement. "Alright." She replied.

"Robodog, wait here." Dan ordered before walking into the building. He cautiously looked around the large room.

Alex followed him inside, glancing around.

It was large and empty. It was dark as well.

Alex tried to stay close to Dan.

"This doesn't look good." He whispered, switching out his sword for a torch.

"There's nothing here."

"At least not in this part of the building..." Alex replied, looking around in the dim light.

Little did they know; hidden cameras were watching their every move.

One zoomed in as Dan walked into the hallway.

"Maybe. Let's go find-Ah!" Dan yelped as he suddenly fell through a trapped door which sealed once he dropped inside.

"Dan!" She cried as he vanished with the only light source before her eyes. She quickly went to the spot and tried to get it open. "Dan?!" Alex cried.

After fighting with the door and not getting a reply, she shakily stood up and glanced around.

A little light turned on, down in the hallway to give her a smidgen of guidance.

The person watching the feeds from the hidden cameras, was no one other than Denton. He smiled when he saw the plan was in motion.

Alex glanced down it, hesitating.

She didn't want to leave Dan but it didn't seem she'd be getting to him by standing here either...

She slowly made her way down the hall.


	6. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty: Parkour and Mazes**

Dan groaned as he found himself lying on the floor of some strange looking room. "Alex?" He called out, while getting up.

His voice echoed in the large room.

No reply.

Dan warily looked around. "I have to find a way out of here." He said to himself.

That's when it happened.

He suddenly realized the way the room was layout and slowly turned to face a single block.

"Oh no..."

He saw it leading to another one that was place higher up.

"Parkour."

Meanwhile, Alex continued to walk through the hallway, slowly and cautiously.

Denton was watching her on one of the screens and pressed a button.

Two small hidden doors opened from behind her.

The sounds of spiders could be heard from inside.

Her eyes widened and she quickly took off down the hall, almost tripping on her feet serval times.

Denton switched to another screen to see Dan's progress and chuckled at the sight of him failing.

"Hmm...let's make this more interesting."

He then pressed another button, making a couple zombies appear in the room Dan was trying to escape.

"There. Now all the rats are on the run." Denton said, proud of his work.

Knowing that Dan was terrible at Parkour, he made a course that Dan couldn't die from fall damage but it didn't mean he wouldn't get hurt.

However, Alex's course was rather different and it soon led her to a narrow room.

Which was dead quiet.

For the moment.

Alex looked around confused and frightened. She winced as her leg throbbed.

Meanwhile, Dan had just crawled on to the fifth block for the third time.

Since the zombies arrived, he's been trying to hurry up.

He had never done parkour in real life but his method of jumping on a block or fence and pulling himself up was working.

But it was tiring.

Hearing the zombies coming closer, he looked back and saw one climbing after him.

"What, No! You can't do that!" Dan shouted at the undead but another zombie began to climb up as well. "...well. Obviously, you can." His voice sounded panicked.

He suddenly got an adrenaline boost and jumped and flip flopped his way to the top of the course.

Dan panted as he looked around in amazement. "I did...it...I actually did parkour."

Sadly, the celebration was cut short as he saw the second thing he absolutely, disliked doing...

Mazes.

Alex glanced back but didn't see any spiders and looked around the narrow space.

Denton watched her on the screen but then the lights in the whole building went dim for moment and flickered back on.

Alex blinked her eyes having to readjust. "Woah...what?" She muttered, glancing around.

Denton frowned and went over to his computer to find out what caused the power to act up, because it wasn't his doing.

While Denton was busy, a person come walking into Alex's view but he was further in the room.

Alex squinted at him and carefully approached. "Hello...?"

As she got closer, the person appeared to look like Dan. "Oh hello." He replied, sounding slightly different.

"Dan?" She asked, surprised.

She was so stressed and scared that she had lost him, she lunged forward and hugged him. "You're okay!"

Dan or what appeared to look like him, was not expecting the hug and glanced at her. "O-oh of course. I'm ok. But what about you?"

She stepped back slightly. "I'm okay, I think. My leg hurts from running but other than that I think I'm ok."

He nodded, seemly reassured that she ok. "Let's find a way out here. Come on." He told her and started to walk.

Alex nodded and trailed after Dan quietly, glancing around every now and then, staying as close as possible.

Dan slowed to a stop and glanced around.

"Do you hear that?" He asked, almost in a whisper.

Alex glanced around as she listened. She heard groaning slowly getting closer. She tensed. "Zombies..."

Almost on cue, the mobs came into the room and headed towards them.

Dan took out a sword." Alex, run!"

Alex hesitated but nodded. She couldn't fight well with her leg anyway.

She quickly took off down the hall.

She saw a room ahead of her and ran inside.


End file.
